jQuery JSON to string?

Question

Instead of going JSON a json string and using $.parseJSON, I need to take my object and store it in a variable as string representing JSON.

(A library I'm dealing with expects a malformed JSON type so I need to mess around with it to get it to work.)

What's the best way to do this?

possible duplicate of [Serializing to JSON in jQuery](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/191881/serializing-to-json-in-jquery) — Wolph, Aug 29 '10 at 00:30
Stanford JavaScript Cryptography Library outputs and parses malformed JSON, the bug is bring worked on at the moment. — Incognito, Aug 29 '10 at 05:15

Daniel R · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-29T16:48:12.867

84

Edit: You should use the json2.js library from Douglas Crockford instead of implementing the code below. It provides some extra features and better/older browser support.

Grab the json2.js file from: https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSON-js

// implement JSON.stringify serialization
JSON.stringify = JSON.stringify || function (obj) {
    var t = typeof (obj);
    if (t != "object" || obj === null) {
        // simple data type
        if (t == "string") obj = '"'+obj+'"';
        return String(obj);
    }
    else {
        // recurse array or object
        var n, v, json = [], arr = (obj && obj.constructor == Array);
        for (n in obj) {
            v = obj[n]; t = typeof(v);
            if (t == "string") v = '"'+v+'"';
            else if (t == "object" && v !== null) v = JSON.stringify(v);
            json.push((arr ? "" : '"' + n + '":') + String(v));
        }
        return (arr ? "[" : "{") + String(json) + (arr ? "]" : "}");
    }
};

var tmp = {one: 1, two: "2"};
JSON.stringify(tmp); // '{"one":1,"two":"2"}'

Code from: http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/08/19/javascript-json-serialization/

edited Nov 29 '12 at 16:48

answered Aug 29 '10 at 00:33

Daniel R

1,439
11
8

23

I would recommend the [json2.js](http://www.json.org/json2.js) library instead of this function, because it doesn't handle correctly some types, like properties containing `undefined`, functions, (which are not a valid JSON values), Boolean objects (e.g. `new Boolean(true);`), or `NaN` which should be replaced with `null`, etc... also it doesn't support the additional optional arguments, the `replacer` function and the `spaces` number for indentation, which are [fully described](http://ecma262-5.com/ELS5_HTML.htm#Section_15.12.3) in the standard. – Christian C. Salvadó Aug 29 '10 at 01:29
3

i think perhaps the json2 link should be: https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSON-js/blob/master/json2.js – fisherwebdev Oct 28 '11 at 22:43
5

Most browsers have a native JSON object these days, which includes parse and stringify methods. So just try `JSON.stringify({})` and see if you get `"{}"` without needing to include the above code. You can even pass in parameters to filter out keys or to do pretty-printing, e.g. `JSON.stringify({a:1,b:2}, null, 2)` puts a newline and 2 spaces in front of each key. – AlexChaffee Apr 03 '12 at 15:49
For the ones looking for a modern answer: JSON.stringify(); is implemented in all the browsers (desktop and mobile): https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/stringify#Browser_compatibility – Pablo Martinez Dec 20 '16 at 13:24

score 38 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 06 '16 at 08:07

38

I use

$.param(jsonObj)

which gets me the string.

edited Jun 06 '16 at 08:07

Michael Gaskill

7,913
10
38
43

answered Feb 23 '11 at 01:48

jonathan

453
4
2

8

But this does not create JSON (and that was the question). – Felix Kling Feb 23 '11 at 17:11
22

but this little code is doing all the title of the question requests :P – nils petersohn Aug 18 '11 at 09:08

score 35 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 16:00

Most browsers have a native JSON object these days, which includes parse and stringify methods. So just try JSON.stringify({}) and see if you get "{}". You can even pass in parameters to filter out keys or to do pretty-printing, e.g. JSON.stringify({a:1,b:2}, null, 2) puts a newline and 2 spaces in front of each key.

JSON.stringify({a:1,b:2}, null, 2)

gives

"{\n  \"a\": 1,\n  \"b\": 2\n}"

which prints as

{
  "a": 1,
  "b": 2
}

As for the messing around part of your question, use the second parameter. From http://www.javascriptkit.com/jsref/json.shtml :

The replacer parameter can either be a function or an array of String/Numbers. It steps through each member within the JSON object to let you decide what value each member should be changed to. As a function it can return:

A number, string, or Boolean, which replaces the property's original value with the returned one.

An object, which is serialized then returned. Object methods or functions are not allowed, and are removed instead.

Null, which causes the property to be removed.

As an array, the values defined inside it corresponds to the names of the properties inside the JSON object that should be retained when converted into a JSON object.

score 10 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 25 '11 at 09:13

10

The best way I have found is to use jQuery JSON

answered Aug 25 '11 at 09:13

David Reynolds

3,141
3
18
19

1

because it is a jquery _plugin_ & not what's directly provided by jquery – Rajat Gupta Sep 22 '12 at 07:47
@user01 but jquery doesn't include a way to do this (at least it didn't when I wrote this reply, not sure if it does now) – David Reynolds Apr 17 '13 at 11:17
@DavidReynolds: yes of course, I understand:) I didn't intend any offence to you but just commented on this as a solution to problem :) – Rajat Gupta Apr 17 '13 at 16:43

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 29 '10 at 00:30

You could parse the JSON to an object, then create your malformed JSON from the ajavscript object. This may not be the best performance-wise, tho.

Otherwise, if you only need to make very small changes to the string, just treat it as a string, and mangle it using standard javascript.

jQuery JSON to string?

5 Answers5

Linked